


Books are a Dangerous Thing

by Kitty514



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Climbing Class-Relationship, M/M, Some depiction of anxiety, chris is a dork, some blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-01-05
Packaged: 2018-05-11 21:56:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5643307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitty514/pseuds/Kitty514
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris tries and fails to reach a library book in a spectacular way. Luckily, Josh is there to help if he can stop laughing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Books are a Dangerous Thing

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired by one of quoth-the-ravenclaw 's library au's on tumblr, so a big shoutout to them.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Chris gazed up at the huge encyclopedia a few shelves above his reach. The bright orange cover with calligraphic print taunted him as well as made him nauseous. He glanced behind his shoulder. The large space was filled with tables and computers but no people.

A sigh escaped Chris’s lips before he started backing up, all the while sending a glare in the direction of the encyclopedia. His feet stalled to a stop about ten feet from the shelves. He drew in a deep breath to steel himself. 

Chris crouched down slightly, balancing his weight. Then he pushed off, running straight for the shelf. When he was close enough, he jumped. His arm stretched out, reaching for the book. It wasn’t enough, though. Chris’s hand slipped from its grip on the encyclopedia and his nose slammed into one of the shelves, shoving his glasses up into his skin. He fell back onto his ass, seeing stars. Pain blossomed in his face. 

A touch to Chris’s nose revealed it wasn’t bleeding, thankfully, even though it hurt like hell and was definitely going to bruise later. He froze, however, when he heard someone laughing near him. Chris turned his head towards the laugh, adjusting his glasses. Josh was leaning up against the shelf Chris had just lunged at, now snorting and doubled over. 

Chris stood up quickly, staggering and almost falling over when the room started to spin. Josh’s hands latched onto both of his arms, anchoring him in place. Josh took a few calming breaths, interrupted by giggles every now and again. 

“This never happened, alright?” Chris said in a low voice, trying to play it casual. “You didn’t see anything, bro.” 

“You should have-” Here the dark-haired boy had to pause to giggle. “Your face just fucking smashed into that poor shelf. You should have seen yourself. Your head just snapped back like a-” Then Josh was laughing again, leaning his head heavily against Chris’s shoulder. 

Chris could feel his face heat up, and he didn’t doubt that it was tomato red. He wiggled his way out from Josh’s grasp, making his way for the exit. As he passed by the front counter where a bored old woman was sitting, he covered his nose with his hand. Josh followed behind him, finally stifling down any remaining laughter as he waved politely at the librarian and checked out the encyclopedia Chris had been aiming for. How Josh managed to get it, Chris didn't ask. 

“Why didn’t you use a fucking ladder? They’re there for a reason.” Josh asked on their way out of the library, the book tucked up against his chest. 

Chris glared at him as he unlocked his car and climbed into the driver’s seat. “I didn’t think about that.” He conceded. 

Josh wormed his way into the passenger seat, throwing a semi-sympathetic look his way. “Way to go, Cochise. You just did the dumbest thing I’ve seen in years.” 

Chris just groaned, starting his car and throwing it into reverse. Josh propped a foot up on the dashboard, scanning Chris’s face. 

“You might wanna get that looked at.” Josh gestured at Chris’s nose languidly, then snorted softly when he tried to keep some laughter down. Chris slapped his arm with the back of his hand. 

*** 

Chris winced as Josh put a band-aid over the bridge of his nose. By the time Chris had driven the two of them back to his house, the skin on his nose had ripped open and blood had begun to run down his face. They had taken turns cleaning and putting ice on the wound in the kitchen before the bleeding finally subsided. Josh grimaced as he smoothed out the bandage. He ran a hand over Chris’s cheek quickly, almost imperceptibly, before pulling back. 

“No more parkour for you, Cochise.” Josh joked, the corner of his mouth quirking up. 

Chris jumped off the kitchen counter and shoved his shoulder into Josh’s playfully. The two of them crashed on the couch in front of the T.V. Chris rested his forearms over Josh’s legs where they laid in his lap. Josh closed his eyes, his head falling back onto the armrest. Chris turned the T.V on for background noise, trying to not concentrate on the incessant throbbing in his nose that was turning into a full-blown headache. 

*** 

Chris woke up with a snort that quickly turned to pain. He cringed and pushed his glasses back into place. He must have dozed off. Josh was asleep, still in the same position he started in. The T.V. buzzed lightly, some reality show playing. Chris carefully worked his way out from under Josh’s legs and stumbled to the bathroom. The harsh lighting and mirror revealed a dark purple bruise blossoming out from the edges of the band-aid. 

He sighed and leaned his right hip heavily against the bathroom counter. He stared out into the living room. Josh looked at home, now curled up on his side on the couch. Chris took in a long breath. He’d known Josh for so many years, but only recently had he begun to realize how deep his feelings for the other boy ran. 

Every touch, every smile directed his way, made his heart beat hard. Chris couldn’t help but swallow hard each time he saw Josh, whose green eyes glinted mischievously whenever he thought of something that would inevitably get them both in trouble. The way his hands would grip the collars of Chris’s shirts and fix them when he got anxious and little things being out of place would get on his nerves. The way his breath would ghost over Chris’s cheek when he leaned in close to discuss something that excited him but he didn’t want to be loud. The way he would trace the outlines of shapes on the back of Chris’s hands to distract himself from noises or sights beyond his control. 

Lucky for Chris, he’d just embarrassed himself beyond comprehension today. And now he looked terrible to top it all off. Josh would never let him live what happened in the library down. Chris pulled at one of his three shirts, adjusting it back into place. Josh would never think of him as more than a friend- a dorky friend who lied about having crushes on girls to brush off any suspicion. 

He was so lost in thought that he didn’t notice that Josh was standing in front of him until he was speaking. 

“What’s wrong, bro? Do you need more ice for your face?” Josh’s hand reached up and brushed back a few stray strands of hair from Chris’s face. 

Chris struggled to breath for a second. “Probably. Don’t need swelling. Wouldn’t really work with the glasses.” He tried to keep up a light demeanor. 

“Yeah, not really.” Josh made his way to the kitchen, stretching his hands above his head. Chris had to mentally remind himself not to stare at the exposed skin as his shirt lifted up. Not that it worked too well, but at least Josh was turned away from him. 

Chris accepted the bag of ice offered to him. He sat down on the bathroom counter, holding the ice to the bridge of his nose. Josh sat next to him on the small counter, the side of his body pressed heavily against Chris’s. The sudden warmth left Chris in a slight haze. His head was starting to throb again and the bright light did nothing to help. He wanted to shut himself in a dark room for the rest of the day. 

“Hey, can I ask you something?” Josh asked, his voice quiet. 

“Anything, bro.” Chris tried to brush off some of his pain and glanced over at him, their eyes locking for a quick second before Josh looked away. He held his breath momentarily as he saw Josh working through something in his mind. 

“What if, hypothetically, someone were in love with a person they’d known for years and they wanted to tell that person? Should they do it and risk losing a good friend or keep their feelings to themselves?” Josh kept avoiding Chris’s gaze, shifting against his side. 

“What, are you preparing to profess your undying love to me?” Chris joked. There was no way Josh was talking about him. No way. 

Josh chuckled uncomfortably and rubbed his neck. When he didn’t respond after that, Chris’s brow furrowed. 

“…Josh?” Chris leaned forward a bit, trying to catch Josh’s eye. His heart was beating out his chest now. No, it couldn’t be him he was talking about. 

Josh turned his head toward Chris, finally. He wore a worried expression, his mouth twisted in a frown. 

“Oh god, Josh.” Chris let the hand holding the ice pack fall to his lap. 

Josh stood up fast, gripping the edge of his sweatshirt. “Shit. I should have known you didn’t feel the same way.” He made to leave, but Chris grabbed the back of his sweatshirt, stopping him in the doorway. 

“Wait. Fuck. No. I didn’t mean it like that. Josh, look at me.” Chris released his grip and Josh slowly faced him. Chris took a deep breath to steady himself. “I love you too, Josh. I was just surprised, was all. Considering I stupidly slammed my face into a bookshelf while failing to do parkour, I didn’t think you’d be very attracted to me. ” 

Josh’s eyes widened a fraction, before he broke out into grin. Then a small laugh escaped his lips. “It kinda had the opposite effect on me, for some weird reason.” 

Chris huffed out a laugh that was cut off by Josh’s lips on his. It was a soft kiss, more a request for permission than anything else. Chris dropped the bag of ice onto the counter before gripping the back of Josh’s neck with one hand and his hip with the other, pulling him in closer. Josh shivered when Chris’s cold hand made contact with his skin but moved forward in between his legs. Josh angled his head to deepen the kiss, his hands on Chris’s cheeks. Chris moaned. Josh was invading his senses, invading his thoughts. 

Chris pulled away first, his nose flaring up in pain suddenly. He hissed, reaching for the ice bag again. Josh gave him an apologetic look, but Chris waved it off. 

“Not your fault.” Chris said. 

Josh nodded hesitantly before resting his head on Chris’s shoulder. Chris sighed contentedly and rested his chin on top of Josh’s head as he nuzzled into Chris’s neck. Josh smelled like pine trees and peppermint, and felt like home. 


End file.
